A's Jed Lowrie has hairline fracture on finger but will continue to play

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- An MRI taken Tuesday revealed that A's shortstop Jed Lowrie has a hairline fracture in his right index finger, a development that won't stop Lowrie from playing but potentially could impede it.

The pain in Lowrie's finger hasn't improved since he took a ground ball off his finger Aug. 4 against Tampa. A subsequent X-ray did not reveal a fracture, but the MRI did.

"Does it mean anything as far as being able to play with it?" said A's manager Bob Melvin. "Maybe a day off a little more frequently, but he's able to play with it and nothing would suggest unless he gets hit again that it would worsen."

Oakland Athletics shortstop Jed Lowrie misses the tag on Tampa Bay Rays' Logan Forsythe as Forsythe steals second base during the second inning of their Major League Baseball game, Monday, Aug. 4, 2014 at O.co Coliseum in Oakland, Calif. Forsythe was initially ruled out, but the call was overturned on a replay reversal. (D. Ross Cameron/Bay Area News Group)
(
D. ROSS CAMERON
)

Lowrie has said the finger affects him more throwing than hitting, but Melvin said to this point, it hasn't adversely affected his fielding. And Lowrie definitely doesn't want to be out of the lineup, although he did not start Tuesday night against the Kansas City Royals.

"He knows where his team is, he wants to win and he wants to be there for his teammates," Melvin said.

If Lowrie requires too many days off, the A's may consider adding an infielder, but that's not in the plans at this point.